All cases
Discrimination Against Religion Teachers on the Canary Islands
October 10, 2013, SpainReligion teachers on the Canary Islands are discriminated against, as they are not allowed to participate in extra activities, such as becoming a cycling coordinator or head teacher. This matter has been brought to court and is still pending. In the meantime, centers may choose according to their individual needs whether or not religion teachers may occupy such positions, but there is still discrimination occurring in some schools since such a decision is arbitrary and depends on the judgment of the inspectors.
Bomb Planted in Catholic Church in Zaragoza
October 3, 2013, SpainA bomb was set inside the Catholic “Basílica del Pilar” in Zaragoza. It exploded close to the organ and benches. The church and the market square in front of the basilica had to be cleared by the police. Local sources suspect an extreme left-wing group behind the bomb attack. These claims are supported by the fact that the words “This is our offering“ and a veiled figure holding a bomb were spray painted on a wall nearby the basilica. This bomb was the first attack on the basilica of Zaragoza since the Spanish Civil War.
Violent Language Used by Feminists and Other Left-Wing Organisations
September 27, 2013, SpainDuring a pro-choice rally, the coordinator of “Valladolid Women”, a feminist organization, shouted violence inciting words such as “We must burn the Episcopal Conference” outside of a lecture hall in which the Spanish Christian Lawyers Association AEAC was giving a lecture on the persecution of Christians. The Christian Lawyers Association has filed a complaint under the heading of incitement to hatred and violence.
Christian Cemetery Vandalised in Villecien, Yonne
September 26, 2013, FranceIn Villecien an old Christian cemetery was vandalised in the afternoon of September 26th. 61 graves were vandalised and inscriptions and religious statues were destroyed or removed.
Two Statues Destroyed at a Church in Haan
September 25, 2013, GermanyDuring a fair in Haan (North Rhine-Westphalia), unknown perpetrators tore the cross with the figure of Jesus off the church of St. Chrysanthus and Daria, beheaded the figure and took the head away. The perpetrators also tore an arm off the figure of a bishop and threw the arm into the garden of the kindergarten next door. In the last ten years, the figure of Jesus has been destroyed three times.
Statue Vandalised in Church in Sassari
September 25, 2013, ItalyThe historic statue of Our Lady of Hope (1934) in Sassari was taken down from its stand and broken into pieces.
Church and Bust of Pope Benedict XVI Spray Painted
September 22, 2013, GermanySt. Oswald church - the church in which Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his first mass - was spray painted with large letters. Local sources suspect radical left wing forces behind the incident. A bust of the former Pope in front of the main entrance was spray painted twice. In the first case the delinquent was identified, the second case remains unclear.
Dublin Church Bells Silenced After 130 Years
September 21, 2013, IrelandDue to complaints, the clock and bells at the Church of St. Bartholomew, Dublin, Ireland are temporarily out of service. The church is required to find a solution to stop the bells from ringing at night, or they will have to be switched off permanently.
Fire Damage in Church in Reggio Emilia
September 21, 2013, ItalyThe shrine of Our Lady in the church of St. Augustine in Reggio Emilia was set on fire. Fortunately the statue was unharmed but everything around it was destroyed.
Vandalised Madonna in Bari
September 10, 2013, ItalyThe Madonna in the Parish of St Nicholas in Bari was decapitated by vandals. The statue was carved in the rock at the base of a large crucifix and was probably broken by being thrown against the crucifix.
Government Takes Children From Christian Community
September 5, 2013, GermanyIn the early morning of September 5th, a massive police raid of 100 police and 60 social workers descended on two of the Christian Twelve Tribes Communities of Klosterzimmern and Wörnitz. The police seized 40 children from 16 families and took them away in 25 vans on allegations of physical abuse.
Vandalism in Church in Bologna
September 5, 2013, ItalyVandals broke in half the ceramic statue of the Madonna in Caserme Rosse. This statue had been vandalised two years ago as well.
Berlin Bans Public Christmas Celebrations
September 3, 2013, GermanyBerlin politicians and officials of Berlin-Kreuzberg banned the celebration of Christmas in public places or roads, as well as decorations and Christmas fairs, in order not to discriminate against the Muslim minority. A tree may only be placed in specific places, previously assigned by the authorities.
Stations of the Cross Vandalised in Traunstein
September 3, 2013, GermanyLocal faithful discovered grafitti on stations of the cross. Unknown perpetrators had spraypainted "God is dead", "boozing" and an anarchy symbol on the small buildings.
Pope John Paul II Commemoration Monument in Rijeka Thrown into the Sea
September 1, 2013, CroatiaA monument commemorating the visit by John Paul II to Rijeka, which had been erected in June 2013 on the pier Gat Karoline Riječke, was thrown into the sea by unidentified vandals. Divers from the Rijeka Fire Department pulled it out from a depth of approximately six meters. The incident was recorded by the police who conducted an investigation.
Satanist Symbolism on Garage in Traunstein
August 30, 2013, GermanyVarious acts of vandalism with clear anti-Christian symbolism have been reported in in Traunstein/Southern Germany: The exterior wall of a small church belonging to a parish in Traunstein (in the South of Germany) was spray painted with anti-Christian symbols and had to be repainted. Close by, the pedestal of a St. John Nepomuk figure was disfigured with the painting of a satanist cross. On a private garage, two big satanist crosses and the letters “GOD free“ were spray painted. Local sources suspect radical left wing groups are behind these acts.
Christians Hurt by Theatre Performance in Former Church Building
August 30, 2013, GermanyLocal Christians reported to the Observatory that they felt offended by a play with the title, “Empathy to the Devil” which was performed in a secularised church in the south of Germany. The poster of the event featured a silhouette of the devil. Earlier productions from the same theatre-group have shown a big red cross being used as a hat stand on stage.
Church Vandalised Overnight in Loire-Atlantique
August 24, 2013, FranceIn the night perpetrators broke down the door and entered the church of Notre Dame in Loire-Atlantique, Bretagne, where they destroyed several more items. A lawsuit was filed and as a consequence the town decided to close and lock the doors of the church, which are normally open.
Exhibition in Church Damaged by Fire in Chatellerault
August 17, 2013, FranceAn exhibition of pilgrims financed by the Friends of Santiago de Compostela was on display in the St. Jacques church in Chatellerault, France. Several times someone tried to set the laminated panels of the images on fire using a candle. The panels were covered with burn holes from the candle. Police in Chatellerault have opened an investigation.
Burglary at Church in Wesel
August 15, 2013, GermanyPerpetrators broke through a basement window in the rectory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Wesel, Germany. They damaged several doors including the door to the sacristy and stole two boxes of donated money.